New Peter Pan Book Continues to Top Popular First Reads Charts at Goodreads.com - Thousands Want to Read True-Life Story that Inspired the Legend of Peter Pan

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Peter: The Untold True Story, by author Christopher Mechling, shines new light on the character of Peter Pan, revealing the real historical boy who lived more than a century before JM Barrie wrote Peter Pan. Now through March 16th, Goodreads is offering a chance to win 1 of 3 signed first edition hardcovers.

"Some disquieting confessions must be made in printing at last the play of Peter Pan; among them this, that I have no recollection of having written it." - James Barrie

“I have no recollection of writing the play of Peter Pan, now being published for the first time so long after he made his bow upon the stage,” wrote James Barrie mysteriously in his introduction to his published work. And elsewhere in his writing, Barrie said in reference to Peter's nemesis, Hook, “...To reveal who he really was would even at this date set the country in a blaze.” Peter: The Untold True Story promises to bring to light the truth Barrie hinted at.

Peter: The Untold True Story is currently the second most popular book overall in the First Reads Program out of approximately 2,700 featured titles.

Full rankings for the book are as follows:
#2 Most Popular (All Categories)#2 in Young Adult and YA,
#1 in Historical Fiction,
#1 in Children,
#1 in Middle Grade,
#1 in Teen,
#1 in Women's Fiction,
#1 in Love,
#1 in Novel,
#1 in Magic,
#1 in Adventure,
#1 in Fantasy,
and #1 in Family.

Set in 18th century England and Germany, Peter: The Untold True Story tells the life of Peter the Wild Boy, a charming, intuitive feral child who lived alone in the forests of Germany to the age of twelve. Once discovered, as fate would have it, he befriended the King of England, and went on to become one of the era's most popular figures.

There have been many retellings of Peter Pan's story, in books, stageplays, movies and on television. Currently, Warner Brothers is developing a new movie about Peter Pan. Warner Brother's project has a release date set for summer 2015, and has stars Hugh Jackman and Garret Hedlund attached, along with director Joe Wright.

What separates Christopher Mechling's tale from other stories about Peter Pan is that it is not a retelling, a prequel, or an extension of James' Barrie's mythology- instead, it offers a dramatic look at the true events of a real historical figure whose life is closely mirrored in Barrie's work.

Another clue left by Barrie regarding the origin of Peter Pan relates to the fairies in his story. Barrie wrote that before going to Neverland, Peter resided at Kensington Gardens amongst the fairies. The history of the fairies at Kensington Gardens traces back to an 18th century poem by Thomas Tickell called "Kensington Gardens". This epic poem featured an infant boy who was adopted and raised by fairies. The poem was written in 1722, only a few years before Peter the Wild Boy came to London. As a guest of the Royal Family, Peter occasionally roamed Kensington Gardens' hundreds of acres.

It is difficult to imagine that Barrie would not have been aware of the historical Peter on some level. The era in which Peter the Wild Boy lived was one that surely would have interested Barrie. It was the end of the Golden Age of Piracy, when pirates clashed with the naval power of the British Empire. It was also a time in which Indians from America were visitors to the Royal Court. It was the Age of Enlightenment, when science and reason were challenging the unknown, the mysterious and the wild. In the midst of this era, Peter the Wild Boy stood in the Royal Court as a prominent, curious anomaly.